João Palhinha stepped up to deliver a decisive late goal for Tottenham Hotspur, clinching the North London side's inaugural Premier League win of the 2026 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. The goal not only broke a barren spell but also rekindled hopes of survival for a club teetering near the bottom of the table. The atmosphere at Molineux was electric as the match reached its climax. While the substitute's strike gave Spurs the lead, the drama was amplified by parallel action elsewhere: Everton managed to equalise against West Ham, temporarily lifting Roberto De Zerbi's side out of the relegation zone before Callum Wilson's late winner for the Hammers dampened the celebrations.
For Tottenham, the three points were even more crucial after the injury blow that saw Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons forced off the pitch. Now sitting just two points behind West Ham, Spurs cling to a slim but tangible chance of remaining in the top flight, largely thanks to Palhinha's heroics.
**Team line-ups** Wolves (4-3-3): Sa (6), Lima (6), Doherty (5), S. Bueno (6), Toti (5), H. Bueno (7), Andre (6), J.
Gomes (7), R. Gomes (6), Mane (6), Armstrong (6).
Substitutes: Arokodare (6), Hwang (6), Tchatchoua (5), Moller Wolfe (n/a). Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Kinsky (7), Pedro Porro (7), Danso (7), Van de Ven (7), Spence (7), Bissouma (6), Bentancur (7), Gallagher (6), Kolo Muani (6), Simons (6), Solanke (6).
Substitutes: Richarlison (7), Tel (7), Palhinha (7), Bergvall (6), Dragusin (n/a). Player of the match: João Palhinha. Spurs began the encounter with intent, yet the first half was largely uneventful, reflecting a tempo that belied the urgency of their situation. The early injuries to Solanke and then Simons—who missed a clear chance shortly after his entry—added to the tension among the travelling supporters.
Wolves grew in confidence after hearing news of West Ham's opener against Everton, which intensified the pressure on the Tottenham side. They threatened twice through Adam Armstrong, but the turning point arrived from a well‑taken corner by Mathys Tel. Pedro Porro delivered the ball to Richarlison, whose flick set up Palhinha, who calmly slotted the ball home to give the visitors the lead.
The match remained tense, highlighted by a dramatic late save from Antonin Kinsky, who dove to parry João Gomes' free‑kick in the 98th minute, preserving the win. Wolves made five changes at halftime, with former Spurs defender Matt Doherty captaining the side and Pedro Lima earning his first Premier League start of the season. Tottenham made a single alteration from the Brighton draw, bringing Djed Spence on for Destiny Udogie.
The victory could prove pivotal in Tottenham's season, potentially serving as the catalyst needed to reverse their fortunes. Without these three points, they would have been four points adrift with only four games remaining—a daunting prospect.
Instead, the win injects a measure of optimism and a renewed belief that survival is still within reach. **Palhinha on the impact of the win** "I hope it changes things, that's the reality," Palhinha told reporters. "This victory means more than just three points for me, my teammates, the club, and especially the fans. This season hasn't been normal for us.
"We all share responsibility, but we have four games left in the final stretch of the league. We need to do our jobs, and I hope this win gives us extra motivation because it's been a long time since we celebrated a win. There have been matches where we should have taken more points.
"Sometimes it's the little details that make the difference. What we can control now is to keep working until the end of the season and try to keep the club where it belongs – the Premier League. It means a lot to us to stay up." **Robert De Zerbi's press conference** The Spurs manager reflected on the performance: "In the first half, the first 35 minutes, we played well. We didn't create big chances, but we had total control of the game.
"In the second half, the pressure built—maybe because we hadn't won a game in 2026, maybe because we were playing against a side already relegated. We lost our shape and distance on the pitch.
"I hope this result changes our mindset and mentality. Winning is tough for us when we put our heads against other teams; it becomes too difficult." He added, "The most important thing is the qualities and humanity of the players. I was surprised at first because I didn't know them well, but now I see we have a chance to stay up.
Watching the game, you can't always tell if they have the right spirit, but I work with them daily. All the players are professional, they suffer for this situation, and I want to give them confidence and order on the pitch.
The second half was disappointing; we need to improve dramatically." **Injury updates** Regarding Solanke and Simons, De Zerbi said, "Solanke has a muscular injury; the exact severity is unclear, but it's not a major problem. Simons has a knee issue, which we will assess in the next few days. He felt better than at the start of his injury." On Kinsky's crucial save, he praised the goalkeeper: "He deserves this day because he played very well, especially today.
He's a good keeper and after his time at Madrid, he deserves a day like this." **Rob Edwards on Wolves' performance** Wolves manager Rob Edwards acknowledged the difficulty of facing a Spurs side fighting for survival: "It's not easy to turn up and beat Tottenham when they're having a bad spell. They have quality players and high motivation. "This week has been challenging for us—officially relegated, three losses in a row, bottom of the league. Yet our players gave everything, matching Spurs' intensity.
I have no negative words for them. Everyone gave their all, and it will take time to turn things around. We're not in a transfer window, so we can't make big changes now. "We have four games left; we must keep fighting.
I looked around at the end and saw no one gave up. They tried their hardest.
It's hard because after relegation, people expect us to collapse, but we delivered a proper game of football. The boys gave everything today." The match also featured promotional content for Sky Sports and a reminder that fans can watch highlights and access the live Premier League table. Additionally, a Super 6 competition offered a chance to win £250,000. Overall, Palhinha's late header not only secured three vital points but also sparked a glimmer of hope for a Tottenham side desperate to avoid the drop as the season draws to a dramatic close.